SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING MULTI-APPLICATION TABS AND TAB SETS

• US 20130232429A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Fisher, Steve, Bezar, Eric David, Gross, Adam, Swinson, Ian, Hu, George, Oikawa, Yoshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,740,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

A sharing model enables users to easily and conveniently create and share standard and custom database objects, and applications, among users or groups of users. The sharing model includes systems and methods that allow users to conveniently create and customize tabs and tab sets that define relationships between custom objects and fields, standard objects and fields, and applications. A tab visually represents a user interface into an element of an application or into a database object. Selection of a tab provides a user access to the object or element of the application represented by the tab. A tab set is a group of related tabs that work as a unit to provide application functionality. New tabs and tab sets may be defined and tab set views may be customized so that an end user can easily and conveniently switch between the various objects and application elements represented by the displayed tabs and tab set views.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable code which, when executed, implements a web browser comprising:

a web browser user interface;

a content portion for presenting content within the web browser user interface; and

a control portion adjacent and above the content portion for providing a user interface;

wherein the user interface comprises controls including a subset of selected controls distributed in a single line near the top of the web browser user interface;

wherein the web browser user interface provides for website-branding of the selected controls;

wherein one of the selected controls comprises a control that serves as a website'"'"'s home control;

wherein the web browser user interface is configurable for displaying a customizable control image on the website'"'"'s home control; and

wherein the web browser user interface includes a navigation control that provides an input field.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the web browser provides for receiving, from a website, a URL logo for customizing the controls.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the web browser modifies operation of an underlying web browser selected from a group including Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and Opera.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the navigation control comprises an address bar.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the navigation control comprises a search bar.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selected controls comprise one or more tabs.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the web browser user interface includes intrinsic browser controls and tab set user interface controls;

a tab visually represents a user interface into an element of an application or database object; and

the web browser user interface provides a control for selecting one or more tab sets, each tab set including a group of related tabs that work as a unit to provide application functionality.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the selection control comprises a drop-down list or a pick list.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more tabs are displayed separately from intrinsic browser controls.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein one or more of back, forward address field and web search navigation are provided exclusively by intrinsic browser controls.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the web browser user interface includes no other navigation controls that appear above the selected controls that are distributed along the single line.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable code which, when executed, implements a web browser comprising:

a web browser user interface;

a content portion for presenting content within the web browser user interface; and

a control portion adjacent and above the content portion for providing a user interface;

wherein the control portion comprises controls serving as user interfaces into respective elements of at least one downloaded custom designed application;

wherein the web browser user interface provides for website-branding of selected controls, and for displaying a customizable control image on selected controls;

wherein the web browser user interface comprises a subset of selected controls distributed in a single line near the top of the web browser user interface; and

wherein the subset of selected controls comprises;

a control that serves as a website'"'"'s home button; and

controls that enable a user to switch between different content.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface further comprises back and forward navigation controls;

and a navigation control that provides an input field.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the navigation control that provides an input field comprises an address bar.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the controls that enable a user to switch between different content comprise one or more tabs.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the navigation control that provides an input field comprises an address bar;

at least one of the one or more tabs is configured to display a customizable control image; and

the customizable control image includes a user-selectable icon.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least one of the selected controls is displayed using different display characteristics when in a selected or de-selected state.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein at least one of the selected controls, while in a selected state, is configured to display a color corresponding to at least one of a website-branding color or a website determined color.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the color of graphical content of the at least one control changes from grayscale, when de-selected, to a color corresponding to at least one of website-branding or a website determined color when selected.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein a display size of at least one of the selected controls is configured to change corresponding to a selected or deselected state of the control.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the controls that enable a user to switch between different content is configurable to include an icon;

and wherein the icon is determined by a website and includes a color corresponding with a website brand of the website.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface is configurable to display no other navigation appearing above the selected controls that are distributed along the single line.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the selected controls are distributed from left-to-right along the single line.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein an appearance of at least some controls along the single line is user-customizable.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface provides one or more controls for users to organize at least some of the controls along the single line

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the web browser user interface provides one or more controls to edit included controls, control combination and order of the at least some of the controls along the single line.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface provides a control for displaying selected sets of controls along the single line.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface provides for displaying a grouping of controls as being spaced apart from other of the controls.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the grouping of controls is positioned in the upper-right-hand corner of the screen.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein:

the web browser user interface provides controls for implementing more than one application; and

the grouping of controls is persisted across more than one application.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein controls in the grouping of controls are provided as a control type having different display characteristics from those of the subset of controls.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface includes separating indicators separating at least two controls.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the subset of controls is positioned so as to be displaced from the top of the control portion by optionally displayed control area elements.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the control portion is configured in a substantially monochromatic manner.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the control portion is shaded.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the web browser user interface provides for displaying sets of controls corresponding to more than one application.

37. The computer readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the more than one application is hosted by a common host;

wherein a graphic is optionally provided for more than one application; and

wherein a graphic is displayed in conjunction with a selected application.

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein a host logo is displayed in conjunction with one or more of the applications.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the web browser user interface provides for displaying sets of controls corresponding to more than one application; and

if a user selects an application in one browser or browser window and opens a second browser or browser window, the application is also selected for the second browser or browser window.